Folding belt conveyer



March 15, 1932. A. B. RYPINSKI 1,849,205

FOLDING BELT CONVEYER Filed Nov. 21, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEIYTOR. weal 33. aWA/mfi L BY ATTORNEY VIE? II IIIIII'III'I! March 15, 1932. A. B. RYPINSKI FOLDING BELT CONVEYER 'Filed Nov. 21, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 T in INVENTOR.

March 15, 1932; A. B. RYPINSKI 1,849,205

FOLDING BELT CONVElYER Filed Nov. 21, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet '3 IN V EN TOR.

BY w A5 TORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4" March 15, 1932. A. B. RYPINSKI FOLDING BELT CONVEYER Filed Nov. 21. 1930 Patented Mar. 15, 1.932

Y AL RT-in RYPINSKIQQOE minut ae, YORK? Z rot niuo nnm convnimn i ut-am nee ainta 1930. semi 1e:.497,317'. I

My -inventionfrelates broadly'to conveyers and more particularly to a construction-jot I foldab'le portablejconveyerr One ofth'e objects of my invention is to I provide, a construction of collapsible con veyer comprising ;a;mult1pl1c1t y of sections Which may be. foldedone upon another forfacilitating' shipment of the conveyer and to permit storage ofithe conveyer vvithin a minimum sp ace.

Another-object oii'my inventionjis pro vide a construction of endless beltconveyer having a'frame constituted a multiplicity of foldable sections pivotally' connected end to end through which a traveling belt isguided'for the advancement of articles from one position to another.

"Still another ob ctjof invention is to provide a constructionof endless belthaving means attachable toithe driving rollers for'positively'driving the conveyer. A still further object of myjinvention is to 7 provide a construction of self contained multiple section portable conveyer Whichmayfbe shipped completein compact folded arrange- -ment ready for use by unfolding the: sec;

tions,.t hei'sev'eral section sjbeing disposedin o e F o "comprisesa'plurality of sheet metal sectionsalignment one with "another for installation for unskilled lab) in anv'desiredlocation oriposition.

- nother object invention isto provide a construction ofm'etallic frame for 'a" multiple section endless belt conveyei -ivhere in eachsectioniof the metallic frame, is die pressed: inan identical manner allowing the sections to be assembled many-desired number of'units. 1 1

Other and-further objects of my invention reside in the construction of multiple sec-j tion metallicvit'rame for aportable endless belt conveyer as Will be more .fully set forth; in the specification hereinafter. following as 3 shown in the accompanying drawings, in WlllCll'Z' A Figure 1 is apersp'ctijve view of thefconlveyer' set up and; in full extended position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion ofthe.

conveyor shown on a large scale;.Fig. 3i'is a" top plan'vievv thereof; Fig. e is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view on'line fl' otFig. 3; Fig; 5 is aftransversevertical sec-- tionalvievv taken on line 5 5 of 'Fig. 3,"- the driving-meanstw the conveyerjbeing preferably an appropriate spring motor as shown. in dotted lines; Fig. 6 isa cross sectional view throughthedriving drumftaken on line} 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig; 7 is a transverse'vertical" sectional view taken on line 7-7 01? Fig. *2; Fig; Sfisan end elevation on an enlarged scale looking in the direction of arrows A A. ofFig. '9, the box in Whichfthe conveyer may be housed being' shown in dotted lines; Fig. I 9'is a sideflevationof thejcon'veyer folded the box in which the conveyer may be housed beingsho'vvn in dotted lines; Fig. lQis a side elevation of one of the units comprising the various sections of the .conveyer detached; Figfll is a side elevation of 'onejofthe driving drums of the conveyer; Fig. 12' is a.

sectional view on line1212of' Fig.' 11; Fig.

13 is an endelevation. thereof; Fig. 14 is av transverse verticals'e'ction' on line 14%14 of. i

Fig.'11;'Fig. 1'5 is al side elevationof one of;

the driving pins engaging the flexiblecon-i, v'ej er and "Iii-g: l6ishoiivs a modifiedform' of; drive for the endless belt.

A Thepo rta'blj conveyer of my invention:

pivotally connected end to end and adapted to be fol'cld withi'n a ompact shipping case for transportation and readily unfolded for use Withthe several'sections aligned onetvithf v tion of the 'endlessb'elt' is supportedfatvaiy from thejsectional frames by upstruck pro fj jections vvh ic'h maintain the belt out of con;

dicated at 7'with the intermediate frame 8 able motive power may be employed for op" erating the conveyer. I may provide either a spring motor or an electric motor, or thedevice may be operated manually. The sheet metal sections forming the frame of the conveyer are identical in construction. That is, all apertures required in each section of the sheet metal frame are accurately punched to receivethe required rollers, auxiliary rollersftensioning means, and interconnecting links as will be more fully hereinafter described. To meet existingconditions, the number of sections of the frame may be varied and the driven and driving rollers mounted in the desired frames. ,The auxil iary rollersma-y be j ournaled in the desired position in the intermediate and end frames for supporting the under surface of the'conveyer, and the tensioning means may be readilyinserted in each of the sections for stretching the belt in desired manner. The several sections when in collapsed position or folded position occupy relatively small space and enable the conveyer to be readily transported. The belt forming the conveyer is folded in a number of loops corresponding to the number of sections when the multiple section frame is collapsed for shipment or transportation.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, Fig. 1 shows the multiple section frame of the conveyer in extended position supported on thesupporting surface 5, the sections being shown-at 1, 2, 3. and 4 pivotally interconnected at 6, 7 and 8. Fig. 2 more clearly shows the end frame I linked through the pivotal connection 6 with the'intermediate which has a pivotal connection with the end frame 4. In order to clearly show the end frame 1, the frames 2, 3 and 4 have been foreshortened. Fig. 3 illustrates in plan view the arrangement of the endless belt 10 with respect to the several frames.

Each section is pressed from sheet metal and is identical in its construction. Perfora tions are made in the metallic material constituting each section during the die pressing operation so that the sections are interchangeable. Section 1 provides a journal adjacent one end thereof for shaft member 14 which is rotatably mounted between the upstanding side walls of section 1 as illustrated in Fig. 5. The shaft 14 is provided with sleeves 14a at each end thereof spacing the drive roller 12 away from the interior side walls. The shaft 14 isextended at one side and is provided with a pin 18 extending therethrough providing coupling means to which the drive motor 19 may beconnected. The motor 19 may be a spring wound device or an electric motor may be employed which is coupled to any suitable means indicated at 20 1 with pin 18 in shaft 14. In order to insure a positive drive between drive roller 12 which is secured on driven shaft 14 and belt 10, I provide radially disposed sockets 15 in roller 12 which receive oppositely directed pins 16. The pins 16 are provided with heads 16a which project through apertures in grommets 11 disposed along the center line of belt 10 and spaced at intervals corresponding to the peripheral distance around roller 12 between the heads 16a and pins 16. As roller 12 is driven the heads 16a grip the belt 10 by projecting through the aperturesin grommets 11 and positively driving the belt. In order to center the belt with respect to the frame of the conveyer the parallel extending upper extremities of each section are turned downwardly as represented at 1a and 1b and project downwardly for a distance substantially beneath the plane of the belt 10. 'The inturned edge port-ions 1a and 1b serve to center articles upon the belt enabling the articles to be advanced as the belt is driven without being dislodged from the conveyer. In order to support the load on the conveyer, I provide a multiplicity of auxiliary rollers indicated 21 which are journaled at their opposite ends in the depending side portions 1a and 1b and are spaced at intervals along the several sections of the frame to support the under surface of belt 10. intermediate the driving and driven rollers; These auxiliary rollers are provided in the intermediate sections 2 and?) and in the end sections 1 and 4 as shown. In the extremity of end section 4 I provide means for journaling the shaft 22 which carries the driven roller 23 around which the belt 10 passes in changingits'direction for return to the driving roller 12. The driven roller 23 is centrally groovedat 24 in a manner similar to the groove 17 in driving roller 12 in order to permit the grommets 11 to pass freely therearound without dislodging the belt from position. In order to limit the catenary. effect of the belt and prevent undue dragging of the belt upon the bottom of the several sections of the frame, I provide upstruck projections 25 in the bottom of the sheet metal sections thereby elevating the belt off of the bottom of the frame sections. Similar projections are provided in the sheet metal frame sections but directed downwardly as indicated at 26 for supporting the frame sections as shown. The beltin rsaazop; j

each frame section is subject to slack and in order to maintain the required tension I provide an adjustable tension device for each section as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 7. A pair of arms 27 are pivoted at 28 in the side walls of each section of the conveyer. The arms 27 are free to be moved angularly through a limited are determined by the length of the slots 29 from. the opposite side walls of the conveyer sections. Adjustable screws 30 pass through the slots 29, enabling the arms to be fixed in selected position with respect to the side walls of the frame. A roller 31 is journaled in the ends of arms 27 and is adapted to engage the under surface of the lower side of belt 10 in order to sup- 1 port the same. By adjusting the angular position of arms 27 by loosening screws 30 and again tightening the same, the roller'31 may be moved into that position required for will be observed that all of the frames are apertured in a similar manner as heretofore noted and it will likewise be observedthat all of the apertures thus provided are not used in each of the frames. Howeverby providing the several apertures the frames may be connected in any desired arrangement without repunching or redrilling additional apertures. In folded position the belt 10 assumes the dotted line arrangement shown in Fig. 9 where the loops of the belt fold in a substantially serpentine arrangement. Figure 8 shows that the upper face of sections 1 and 2 are collapsed. .The low er face of sections 2 and 3 collapse adjacent each other with the upper faces of sections 3 and 4 adjacent each other. In thisway the belt is fully protected and the sections are readily unfoldedlwhen placing the conveyer in operation. The, packing case for the conveyer has been shown at 33, illustrating. the compactness with which the endless belt conveyer is capable of being transported, I Y

In lieu of the pindrive arrangement I may employ the modified arrangement of drive roller shown in Fig. 16 wherein a roller 34 is carried by shaft l l over which a rubber sleeve 35 is cemented. The-"rubber sleeve 35 has a frictional surface indicated by the corrugations 36 whichgrip the belt 10 and I frames and impart; .suflieient ltraeftiveiforce thereto. a v

drivethe beltwithout lost:motion.;,. i

:Th'ei conveyer jot-my; invention,- is: particuri 131 133? adapted for; operation as a 1 means for loading ears, ship n for-the; transporting of; articles from ioneyapl'acei toqan ther-under? manyvarietiej's of conditions. It requires no. great degreeoflskill'to'unfold and. set uputhe conveyer ,055 my. invention; r, The; conveyor may belchangeel around fromv onelocation to? another after :installationa and: the direction of movement oft-he material which. trans-1 ported may accordingly :be controlled. 2 The conveyer bf: my'invention may be constructed:

various sizes": from a smiiiia'turetoyqcona ve-yeir: to a large size heavy duty: conveyer formoving 'relatively'bulky loads;

..While I. have ,.described' myinvention. in certain preferred embodiments I desire. that it beunderstood that modifications, may be-- -madeandithat novlimit'ations upon in}:

vention are. intended other than are imposed:

b -Ithe :scopeofthe appended claims. w j

i 7 What I- claim as new and desire toseeure by Letters. Patent-ofthefUnited States is as follows: c

il;- An. ndle sbelt eenveyer comprising a. multiplicity 4 of. separate frame. sections pIv-J otal -y co ected end to end, each of." said framesections including upwardly projecting side portions terminating in downwardly extending edge portions, said sections including end frames and interconnected intermediate frames, a driving roller journaled in the end of one of said end frames, a driven roller j ournaled in the end of the other of said end frames, auxiliary rollers journaled in the downwardly extending edge-portions of said frame sections, and a belt looped over said driving and driven rollersand extending over said auxiliary rollers'forconveying material longitudinally of said frame sections.

2. An endlessbelt conveyer comprising a i multiplicity. of separate frame sections piv: otally connected'end to end, each of said frame sections including upwardly projecting side i j portions terminating in downwardly extend} ing edge portions,said sections including end interconnected frames, a'drlving roller journaled in the end intermediate 3 .of one of said end frames,fla driven roller j ournaled in the endof'the other of said end frames, auxiliary rollers journaled in the downwardly extending edge portions of said frame sections, and means'carried'by each of said'frame members for subjecting said belt toctension.

3. An endless belt conveyer comprising a multiplicity of separate frame sections pivotally connected end to end, each of said frame sections including upwardly projecting side portions havingthe'ir edges rolled inwardly and downwardly, said sectionsincluding end frames frames, a driving roller journaled in the side res and interconnected intermediate portions of one'of said end frames adjacent one end thereof, a driven roller journaled in the side portions of the other of said end frames adjacent the opposite end thereof, auxiliary rollers journ'aled in the downwardly directed edge portions of said frame sections, a belt threaded over said driving and driven rollers and supported by said auxiliary rollers, and means disposed centrally of each-of said frame sections and extending between said side portions thereof for subjectingsaid belt to tension.

4. An endless belt conveyer comprising a multiplicity of separate frame'sections pivotallyconnected end to end, eachof said frame sections including upwardly projecting side portions terminating in downwardly extending edge: portions, said sections includinglend frames and interconnected intermediate frames, a driving roller journaled in the end of one of said .end frames, a driven roller journaledin the end of the other of said end frames, auxiliary rollers journaled in the downwardly extending edgeportions of said frame sections, and an adjustably positioned roller journaled in each of said frame members and operative againstsaid belt for-subjecting said belt to tension.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. ALBERT B. RYPINSKI. 

